“We asked shops about this procedure for the first time in our surveys this year, and 50 percent said that was something they’ve never billed for when it was required”
Portland, Ore.—Mike Anderson of Collision Advice said he gets concerned when he sees “Who Pays for What?” survey findings that suggest half of shops may not be following OEM safety inspection procedures.
“Many automakers, including General Motors, Nissan and Subaru, have very specific vehicle safety inspections required as part of collision repair,” Anderson said. “Those inspections may include the removal and measurement of the steering column. We asked shops about this procedure for the first time in our surveys this year, and 50 percent said that was something they’ve never billed for when it was required. I’m worried that may mean they’re not performing the necessary safety inspections.”
Anderson, who conducts the quarterly “Who Pays” surveys in conjunction with CRASH Network, said he was glad to see that among those billing for the labor to measure a steering column when it is necessary and performed, 41 percent said they are being paid “always” or “most of the time” by the eight largest national insurers. Another 28 percent said they are at least getting paid for it “some of the time.”
“I’d like to see those numbers improve, but I’m also hoping the surveys raise shops’ awareness of the safety inspections they need to be doing,” he said.
The latest quarterly “Who Pays for What?” survey, slated to end this week, focuses on “not-included” frame and mechanical labor operations. Shops can take the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L3H3JQP
Anderson said the survey, which will take about 15-20 minutes, can be completed by anyone in a shop familiar with the shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of at least some of the largest national insurers. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence; only aggregated data is released. Survey participants receive a free report with complete survey findings along with analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented.
The results of previous surveys are also available online: https://www.crashnetwork.com/collisionadvice
Collision Advice (www.CollisionAdvice.com) is an independent training and consulting firm featuring some of the most respected and experienced experts in the collision repair industry. CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com) is a subscription newsletter offering news and information not available from other industry sources.
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